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Thanks to media hype,
over 50 million people in North America are regular aspirin users
and this figure is rising rapidly. Aside from its widely recognized use as an
analgesic and anti-inflammatory agent, aspirin has become increasingly popular
with the medical profession for a growing list of other maladies. The American
Heart Association recommends aspirin for the prevention and treatment of heart
disease and stroke, while the American College of Chest Physicians recommends
it for any of the risk factors for coronary artery disease including obesity,
diabetes, elevated LDL-cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking and a family
history of heart disease. Some scientists would even argue for using aspirin
as a weight loss remedy used in conjunction with caffeine and ephedra to
“burn fat.” False hope for either the prevention or treatment of cancer,
arthritis, tension headaches and seemingly every human discomfort is
offered by proponents of daily aspirin use.
The current aspirin fad is fueled by the conclusions of some spectacular
studies. For example, peripheral vascular disease (blockages of arteries in
the arms or legs) has been shown to respond to aspirin therapy in one study
with an 85% reduction in the need for surgery. Studies also show that aspirin
prevents new heart attacks in heart attack survivors while angina sufferers
have fewer heart attacks and increased survival. Aspirin use has been shown to
dramatically decrease the need for coronary bypass surgery as well as
angioplasty. The prestigious New England Journal of Medicine even published an
American Cancer Society sponsored study which concluded that those who took
aspirin 16 or more times each month were 40% less likely to die from colon
cancer than those who took no aspirin at all. Listen to enough doctors and you
will soon walk away believing that the great majority of the human race
suffers from an aspirin deficiency.
Is there a down side to this
success story? The answer lies in the many well-documented — but poorly
reported — side effects of the drug, both short and long term.
ASPIRIN SIDE EFFECTS • Bleeding
Gastrointestinal Irritation (heartburn, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea,
inflammatory bowel disease) • Increased gastric permeability and altered
immunity • Gastrointestinal hemorrhage (ulcers): A Searle news release noted
that GI complications caused by NSAIDs remain one of the most prevalent drug
toxicities in the nation — leading to approximately 76,000 hospitalizations
and 7,600 deaths annually — a mortality rate comparable to that of asthma,
cervical cancer, or melanoma (skin cancer). • Hemorrhagic stroke: heavy
doses of 325-milligram adult aspirin (for example 15 or more tablets a week),
can double the risk of hemorrhagic stroke. Older women with high blood
pressure, taking large doses of aspirin, can triple their risk of hemorrhagic
stroke; in elderly patients with atrial fibrillation, the benefit of
prophylactic aspirin to prevent strokes is unproven. • Aspirin can prolong
pregnancy and childbirth and lead to bleeding in both baby and mother. •
Susceptible regular aspirin or acetaminophen users are two to three times more
likely to have the beginning stages of chronic kidney failure, compared with
individuals who did not use these painkillers on a regular basis. About 15% of
the people on dialysis today are there as a result of the damage that Tylenol
and/or aspirin did to their kidneys. • Both aspirin and acetaminophen may
also be associated with diverticular disease of the colon. • Asthma •
People who are taking aspirin in combination with the blood-pressure-lowering
ACE inhibitor drugs after angioplasty may be at risk for a dangerous drug
interaction and a three-fold increase in risk of death. • Prolonged aspirin
use may raise risks for cataracts; the long-term (more than 10 years) use of
aspirin is associated with a 44% higher increase of posterior subcapsular
cataracts, compared with nonusers or short-term users of the drug. Posterior
subcapsular cataracts are the most common and most disabling form of cataract.
This aspirin-related risk is larger among younger (under 65 years of age)
individuals compared with older subjects. (Ophthalmology 1998; 105:1751-1758).
• Chronic rhinitis and nasal polyps: aspirin sensitivity sinusitis may cause
long-term facial pain, headaches and a loss of smell. • Hives (urticaria)
• Hyperactivity • Reye’s Syndrome in children; aspirin is the leading
cause of poisoning in young children. • Ringing in the ears (tinnitus) •
Hearing loss • Vertigo • Mental confusion • Drowsiness • Excessive
sweating and thirst • Inhibition of cartilage repair and accelerated
cartilage destruction
HOW DOES ASPIRIN WORK?
Aspirin prevents blood clotting factors called platelets from sticking to each
other. It does so by blocking a platelet enzyme called cyclooxygenase.
Aspirin, by inhibiting cyclooxygenase, can decrease the production of lipid
peroxides (free radicals) and thromboxane, a powerful vasoconstrictor. This
enzyme inhibition lasts for the lifetime of the platelet, which is
approximately 10 days. Aspirin suppresses the activity of pro-inflammatory
chemicals in the body known as the PGE2 family of prostaglandins. It thus
indirectly increases the activity of anti-inflammatory prostaglandins of the
PGE1 family.
There are some researchers and clinicians who have been able to demonstrate a
direct link between the presence of fungi in the body and cardiovascular
disease of all kinds. This is known as the “fungal mycotoxin etiology of
atherosclerosis” and has been promoted by Dr. Costantini and other
researchers working for the World Health Organization. According to these
doctors, aspirin is an antifungal drug which can go a long way towards
offsetting the negative effects of fungi and their mycotoxins. They believe
that it is this antifungal property of aspirin which prevents heart disease,
stroke and cancer — diseases all suspected to have a fungal mycotoxin
etiology. Dandruff, a scalp condition caused by fungi, often responds well to
shampoos containing aspirin or salicylate derivatives.
NATURAL ASPIRIN
ALTERNATIVES
If one continues to eat a lot of
sugar, refined foods, saturated fat (e.g. red meat, fried foods, dairy
products, etc.), does not exercise, smokes cigarettes and drinks alcohol to
excess, neither aspirin nor any of the following alternatives can be
guaranteed to do much good.
1) GLA (gamma linolenic acid) found in plants like borage, black currant seed
and evening primrose has been shown to increase the activity of the PGE1
family, producing an anti-inflammatory effect similar to aspirin. Flax seed
(edible linseed oil) does not contain GLA, but is rich in linoleic acid, which
can be converted to GLA in the body to produce these same anti-inflammatory
effects. GLA has been documented to lower serum cholesterol, reverse some
cases of obesity, clear eczema, lower blood pressure, control allergies,
improve autoimmune disease and prevent arthritis.
2) Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) in high doses retards blood clotting. Caution
should be exercised if one is using both aspirin and vitamin E (or blood
thinners like coumadin with vitamin E) because the combinations have a
synergistic effect. Studies indicate that supplementation of as little as 200
IU daily in men can reduce the risk of a heart attack by 46%; in women the
risk reduction is 26%. Whether natural source or synthetic source, all forms
supply the body with at least some vitamin E activity. The natural forms of
vitamin E are d-alpha-tocopherol, d-alpha-tocopheryl acetate, d-alpha-tocopheryl
succinate and mixed tocopherols. The synthetic forms are dl-alpha-tocopherol,
dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate or dl-alpha-tocopheryl succinate.
Studies indicate that the most biologically active are the esterified natural
forms — d-alpha-tocopheryl acetate and d-alpha-tocopheryl succinate. Both
have been found to provide full antioxidant activity in the body and are the
ones recommended by the top authorities on vitamin E at the Shute Institute
and Medical Clinic in London, Ontario.
Recent studies indicate that high levels of stored iron in the body (ferritin)
are associated with a greater risk of heart disease and diabetes. High dose
vitamin E supplements can interfere with iron absorption. If you have been
prescribed iron to correct iron deficiency, take your iron supplement about 12
hours apart from vitamin E. Iron absorption is enhanced by sufficient acid in
the stomach. Iron destroys vitamin E in the body.
3) Garlic is probably the best known herb that lowers cholesterol (by up to
10%) and triglycerides (by up to 13%) while raising “good” HDL-cholesterol
(by up to 31%). Garlic prevents thrombus formation and lowers blood pressure.
It prevents platelet stickiness and has natural anti-bacterial, anti-fungal
and anti-parasitic properties. Onions also have these effects but are not as
profound as garlic.
4) Magnesium has anticoagulant properties which, when combined with vitamin E,
can produce significant blood clotting reduction. In practice it is always
wise to balance magnesium intake with both calcium and potassium.
5) Omega-3-EPA oils reduce platelet stickiness. Good dietary sources include
flax seed oil, rice bran oil, trout, mackerel, salmon, herring, sardines, cod,
halibut and shark.
6) Policosanol, an extract made from the wax of sugar cane can lower LDL
cholesterol while increasing good HDL cholesterol. Policosanol reduces
inflammation and inhibits abnormal platelet aggregation which promotes
arterial blood clotting.
7) Gingko biloba extract from the oldest surviving tree species on earth
(dating back over 300 million years) contains flavonoids and terpenoids, which
inhibit or prevent blood clot formation. Ginkgo also has potent antioxidant
properties and may benefit numerous circulatory problems including those
associated with impotence.
8) Bromelain is a proteolytic enzyme (helps digest protein) which is not only
anti-inflammatory in its effects, but prevents excessive coagulation of the
blood by clearing undigested fibrin and other harmful proteins in the
bloodstream.
ALTERNATIVE HERBAL PAIN REMEDIES
• Bromelain • Cloves (especially useful for toothaches) • Curcumin •
Devil’s claw root powder • D,L-Phenylalanine • Echinacea (in very high
dosages, well above those which control infections, echinacea is effective,
especially for toothaches) • Feverfew • Ginger root • Licorice root •
Proteolytic pancreatic digestive enzymes • Wood Betony • Valerian
Many of these nutrients are sold
in combination form at health food stores. It may, therefore, not be necessary
to take large numbers of capsules or tablets. A naturopath or medical doctor
familiar with these remedies can recommend specific dosages. The world’s
leading medical journals are increasingly reporting that diet and lifestyle
changes by themselves can reverse hardening of the arteries and its
complications.
Despite all the rave reports about
aspirin, there are too many worrisome drawbacks as well: natural aspirin
alternatives are hundreds of times safer. Discuss this issue with your health
care practitioner and use his or her experience and expertise to guide you
with an individualized health program.
REFERENCES • Archives of Family
Medicine 1998;7:255-260, 262-263 Majority of Americans Unaware or Unconcerned
About Hidden Dangers Caused by Common Pain Relievers (Searle news release
March 19, 1998) www.searlehealthnet.com/pr/roperrel.html
• Are Common Pain Relievers Putting You at Risk for Stomach Ulcers? The
American Gastroenterological Association and Searle Team Up to Launch National
NSAID Risk Screening and Education Campaign (Searle news release, March 19,
1998). Visit the website at www.searlehealthnet.com/pr/partnrel.html
• Costantini, A.V., Wieland, H., and Qvick, Lars I. Fungalbionics, The
Fungal/Mycotoxin Etiology of Human Disease, Vol. 1 Atherosclerosis & Vol.
II Cancer. Freiberg, Germany:Johann Friedrich Oberlin Verlag, 1994. Available
in Canada from Fungal/Mycotoxin Conference, 12 Sifton Place, Brampton, Ont.
L6Y 2N8; 905-450-0445; FAX:905-450-0559. • Erasmus, Udo. Fats that Heal,
Fats that Kill, Canada:Alive, 1993. • Goldstrich, Joe D. The
Cardiologist’s Painless Prescription for a Healthy Heart and a Longer Life.
Dallas:9-HEART-9 Publishing, 1994. • Haas, Elson M. Staying Healthy with
Nutrition. The Complete Guide to Diet & Nutritional Medicine. Berkeley,
California:Celestial Arts, 1992. • Pizzorno, Joseph E. Jr. and Murray,
Michael T. A Textbook of Natural Medicine, John Bastyr College Publications,
Seattle, Washington, 1989. • Pizzorno, Joseph E. jr. and Murray, Michael T.
An Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, Prima Publishing:Rocklin, California,
1991. • Rona, Zoltan P. and Martin, Jeanne Marie. Return to the Joy of
Health, Vancouver: Alive Books, 1995. • Sharon, Michael. Complete Nutrition.
How to Live in Total Health. London, England: PRION, 1989. • Werbach,Melvyn
R.and Murray, Michael T. Botanical Influences on Illness. Tarzana,
California:Third Line Press, 1994.
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For people who use various forms of aspirin,
such as BC Powder, Bayer brand, Excedrin, and Advil, they are risking their
health for short term pain relief. Yes, you may obtain the illusion of pain
relief, but do you know how the various aspirins work against pain? ANSWER: By
deadening your nerves! Long term aspirin use is sure to corrode your nerves
and entire nervous system leading to certain central nervous system
pathologies such as Parkinson's Disease and Alzheimer's Disease, and even
stroke.
Aspirin
breaks down or converts into ascetic acid inside the body and eats up red
blood cells, just like white distilled vinegar does. Therefore, aspirin use
pollutes the blood which is the essence of life. In addition to polluting and
eating up the blood, aspirin greatly thins the blood. Many people take aspirin
daily as a blood thinner. These people's arteries are so clogged, rather than
cleansing the arteries in order to improve or enhance blood flow, doctors
unwisely prescribe aspirin to thin the blood which is very dangerous because
lack of blood equals lack of oxygen flow, and lack of oxygen flow to the brain
will undoubtedly result in stroke. The herb gingko biloba is a much better and
safer medicinal and alternative to aspirin as it is a mild blood thinner, but
unlike aspirin, it greatly enhances oxygen flow throughout the body.
Aspirin
use also causes intestinal and stomach ulcers. Aspirin burns a hole through
the lining of the intestines and the stomach causing internal wounds (ulcers)
and bleeding. Drinking cabbage juice is the best remedy for this problem. Aloe
vera juice will also help to heal ulcers.
Females who take Midol drug for
menstrual-related pain and cramps would do much better to take the herbs
feverfew, cramp bark, and black haw. A liquid calcium supplement will greatly
reduce menstrual-related pain. Calcium is natureís nervine and tranquilizer.
Serious suffers of headaches, especially migraines, would do well to use the
herbs aspirin was originally made from. Aspirin was originally made from herbs
rich in the alkaloid salicin which converts into salicyclic acid inside the
body, which has an anti-inflammatory effect on the body and thereby
neutralizes pain.
Herbs that contain amounts of salicin
include meadowsweet, white willow bark, red willow bark, black willow bark,
woodruffî, balm of gilead, and wintergreen.
The
herbs feverfew, peppermint, and wood betony should or can be added to the
herbs above to create a natural pain relieving tea that can be drunk
throughout the day and as much as you like in order to naturally eradicate a
headache. Please know that a headache is an acid condition and alkaline
substances can heal/cure and prevent headaches. Herbs are alkaline substances.
Lastly,
long-term aspirin use will greatly pollute and eventually degenerate the
liver, a very important cleansing agent and organ. People with red eyes have
very toxic livers. Liver toxicity manifests in the white of the eyes. The
herbs milk thistle seed, dandelion, boldo, goldenseal, tumeric, Oregon grape,
artichoke, blue flag, gentian root, and barberry will heal, repair, and
cleanse the liver. Carbon (activated charcoal) will also greatly help to
cleanse the liver.
More
important than relieving pain, a person should attempt to discover the root
cause of pain, for prevention is better than remedy. Pain is just a sensor
that lets you know that something is wrong in or with the body. Pain is a
question that seeks an answer.
Additional
articles by Djehuty available at www.dherbs.com/articles/